Domestic researchers have developed a technology that can diagnose lung cancer with just a few drops of blood. It is expected to enhance the possibility of early diagnosis and monitoring treatment effectiveness by accurately detecting early-stage lung cancer, which is difficult to find with existing testing methods.
Professor Cho Yoon-kyung of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, along with Professor Oh In-jae from Chonnam National University Hospital, Professor Kim Mi-hyeon from Busan National University Hospital, and Professor Ryu Jeong-sun from Inha University Hospital, noted on the 13th that they developed the 'EV-CLIP' diagnostic technology that can detect lung cancer mutations with minute amounts of plasma. The results of this research were published in the international journal 'ACS Nano' on the 11th.
The EV-CLIP technology combines extracellular vesicles (EV) found in blood with artificial liposomes (CLIP) in a tube thinner than a hair. Extracellular vesicles are tiny vesicles generated during cell activity and play a significant role in tumor progression and metastasis. The nano-extracellular vesicles released from cancer cells contain genetic mutation information, such as messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA). When molecular beacons recognize these, mutations are detected through fluorescent signals. This method can diagnose lung cancer with just four to five drops of plasma.
The researchers analyzed blood from 83 patients and revealed that the EV-CLIP technology identified crucial EGFR gene mutations for lung cancer treatment selection with 100% accuracy. They also noted that by designing the liposome surface to carry a charge, they enhanced detection sensitivity, which allowed them to accurately detect mutations in lung cancer patients in stages 1 and 2, which were difficult to find with existing technologies.
This technology does not require the complex processes of pre-treating plasma or amplifying genes, as with existing diagnostic methods, enabling fast and convenient diagnosis. The researchers expect that this technology will be applicable not only for early cancer diagnosis but also for monitoring residual cancer cells (minimal residual disease) after treatment. The developed technology will be transferred to the biotechnology venture corporation Labspinner and is set to be developed into a diagnostic kit that can be easily used in hospitals.
Professor Cho said, "A way has opened to detect cancer early with just a few drops of blood and confirm treatment effectiveness," adding, "This technology will significantly reduce patients' suffering and burden while still allowing for accurate diagnosis."
References
ACS Nano (2025), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.4c14209